1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical fiber code holding structure and an optical fiber code holding member. More particularly, the present invention relates to an optical fiber code holding structure and an optical fiber code holding member for shielding lights emitted from an optical adapter and thereby protecting the emitted lights from being directly viewed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, the structure of holding an optical fiber code connected to an optical adapter uses a wire saddle as a member for holding the optical fiber code. This wire saddle is designed so as to have only a function of holding the optical fiber code.
(Conventional Example)
The conventional typical optical fiber code holding structure will be described below with reference to the drawing.
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the conventional typical optical fiber code holding structure.
In FIG. 1, a conventional optical fiber code holding structure 100 is provided with: an optical fiber 2 in which an optical connector 22 is attached to an end of an optical fiber code 21; an optical adapter 3 which is placed on a body 5, such as an optical communicating apparatus or the like, and to which the optical connector 22 is connected; and a wire saddle 104, which is similarly placed on the body 5, for holding the optical fiber code 21 of the connected optical fiber 2.
Here, in the optical adapter 3, a connection hole (not shown) to which the optical connector 22 is connected is formed on the end plane of a lower portion, and the lights are inputted and outputted through the connection hole.
Also, an optical adapter 3 is protuberantly placed such that the optical axis of the input/output lights is oriented in a downward oblique direction.
Due to such configuration, when the output lights are emitted from the optical adapter 3 on the output side, even if a worker or the like detaches the optical connector 22 from the optical adapter 3, the output lights are emitted in the downward oblique direction, which can reduce the risk that the output lights are directly viewed.
When the light having a high energy density is used such as a laser light and the like, a light shutter 105 is installed in the optical adapter 3.
This light shutter 105 has the shape of a flat plate that is bent in the shape of a key when it is viewed from the side, and it is rotatably installed on the lower portion of the front plane of the optical adapter 3. Also, the light shutter 105 is pushed by a spring or the like so that it covers the connection hole when the optical connector 22 is not connected.
Thus, when connecting the optical connector 22 to the optical adapter 3, the worker or the like firstly opens the light shutter 105 in the downward direction, and then inserts the optical connector 22 into the connection hole.
Also, when the optical connector 22 is detached from the optical adapter 3, the worker or the like removes the optical connector 22 from the connection hole without operating the light shutter 105. In short, this structure is designed such that after the optical connector 22 is detached from the connection hole, the pushed light shutter 105 automatically clogs the connection hole, and the output lights are not emitted from the connection hole to external space.
The wire saddle 104 has an opening 123 on the front surface thereof, and it is rectangular and annular.
Here, an open width of the opening 123 is designed to be approximately equal to a diameter of the optical fiber code 21.
Due to such configuration, when the optical fiber code 21 is inserted into the annular inner portion from the opening 123 of the wire saddle 104, the optical fiber code 21 is not easily removed from the opening 123. Accordingly, the wire saddle 104 can hold the optical fiber code 21 in the range of the annular inner portion.
However, the conventional optical fiber code holding structure 100 is designed so as to attain only the function of holding the optical fiber code. Thus, this configuration disables the drop in the number of the parts of the light shutter 105 (including a rotational shaft, a bearing and a pusher), from the viewpoint of the inclusion of the function of protecting the light from being directly viewed. This results in a problem that the manufacturing cost can not be entirely reduced.
By the way, the rotational shaft, the bearing and the pusher of the light shutter 105 are complex in shape, and they are machined at high accuracies. Thus, they are the expensive parts.
The conventional technique of using the light shutter 105 has a problem that the worker or the like must carefully carry out the operation for opening the light shutter 105 and then inserting the optical connector 22 into the connection hole when connecting the optical connector 22 to the optical adapter 3.
In short, the worker or the like brings the optical connector 22 near the connection hole of the optical adapter 3 while gradually opening the light shutter 105 so that the output lights emitted from the connection hole are emitted to the light shutter 105 and the optical connector 22. That is, they are not emitted to the external space except the light shutter 105 and the optical connector 22.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 2576978 discloses the following laser light shielding device. This is the laser light shielding device constituted by the combination of a plug, a cylinder and a guard. Its feature is as follows. That is, the plug made of the material for shielding the laser light is inserted into an optical connector terminal hole of an optical connector so as to shield the laser lights from the optical connector and further clog the optical connector terminal hole. The cylinder integrated with the plug is designed so as to receive the tip of a connecter with an optical code, which is connected to the optical connector, as a protective cap, and then cover the connector tip. The guard formed in the coupling portion of the plug and the cylinder determines the position of the plug inserted into the optical connector terminal hole of the optical connector. The plug and the cylinder are integrally linked in the condition that their orientations are opposite to each other. The plug is inserted into the optical connector terminal hole and mounted in the optical connector. Also, the cylinder holds the connector with the optical code, correspondingly to the position of the optical connector terminal hole.
Japanese Utility Model Laid Open Application Showa 56-108115 discloses the following mechanism for protecting a laser hazard. Its feature lies in that an optical switch unit formed in an optically connecting device is provided with: a mount surface having an optical connector on a fixed side, from which laser lights from a laser light source are emitted; a leg protruding from the mount surface to a substantially vertical and upward direction; a bent portion made of an elastic member which is bent downwardly from the upper end of the leg; and a flat plane for shielding the laser lights from the optical connector on the fixed side, in association with the recovery of the bent portion caused by the separation of an optical connector on an outer side connected to the optical connector on the fixed side, oppositely to the mount surface in the end of the bent portion.
Japanese Utility Model Laid Open Application Showa 63-100707 discloses the following mechanism for protecting a laser hazard. Its feature lies in that on an open shaft of an optical connector on a fixed side, it is provided with: a first shielding plate for shielding laser lights emitted from the connector on the fixed side and determining the position during notching an optical fiber of an optical connector on a detached side which is connected to the optical connector on the fixed side; and a second shielding plate for reclining the optical fiber against the shaft to curve it to a predetermined shape.
Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-A-Showa 62-245207) discloses the following mechanism for protecting a laser hazard. Its feature lies in that a shielding body for shielding laser lights is formed at an interval in which an optical connector on an attached side can be attached and detached, in a travel direction of the laser lights in which the laser lights are emitted towards space from an optical connector on a fixed side, in the condition where the optical connector on the attached side that is attached to the optical connector on the fixed side is detached.